emil's confusion, Ratatosk's glory
by Alticiaekelley
Summary: Richter is trying to enslave emil the elven way. The way aster enslaved him and loved him. There is everybody in the way. Ratatosk is... Gentle?


_Hello, my dear readers. I come up with dis. I think it something you like_.

Disclaimer: I own not the characters, only the plot. **Chapter 1**

_Emil's Pov_

"Oh no, it's going to rain!" As usual, Marta noticed a bit too late. I had said that five hours ago and insisted that we stay at Izoold's inn, but Marta insisted that we'd be able to beat the rain.

Well here we were now about to get caught in the storm of a lifetime and five hours away from shelter in either direction. I mentally sighed.

"Lady Marta, I believe Emil already said that." Tenebrae said, appearing to the group.

"What? When?" She turned on me.

"I believe it was five hours ago in izoold." Regal said.

"Oh…" She looked down thoroughly embarrassed.

"Tenebrae, we'll just have to make a tent." And so we set off to gather materials like giant leaves, spider web, and a few sticks.

Ten minutes later…

"There." We had used the spider web to piece the leaves and sticks together to make the tent.

"Emil, you're rather innovative." Regal said, his hand to his chin as if he were thinking asd we entered.

"Th-thanks!" We got inside just in time as big drops of freezing cold water started to fall from the sky. I started a fire inside to keep the cold out.

"Well, at least it doesn't leak." Sheena said, trying to complement me as well.

"_OF course it doesn't, I told Emil how to make it_."Ratatosk said inside my head. I didn't let that slip.

"Sorry." Marta said, probably still embarrassed.

"Its not really that big of a deal." I said just as regal's stomach started growling.

"Oh." He looked like he was dying of embarrassment, though he wasn't the only one hungry. The rest of our stomachs soon followed his example.

"I'll cook." I volunteered, taking out some ingredients and a pot. I didn't really have any idea as to how to cook. As soon as I started to feel nauscious, Ratatosk told me what to do grudgingly. Obviously he didn't want to be embarrassed by me.

"_put some water in the pot and boil it."_ I did that.

"_Now chop those carrots up and slice the meat into small chunks. Can you do that or do you need help?"_ He taunted. I sliced the carrots carefully while the water started to boil. Tenebrae looked at me comically; he obviously guessed that I was getting help. I couldn't help but notice that everyone was staring at me as I diced up the meat.

"_Oh, hey look. We're a cooking show now."_He said sarcastically, I couldn't help but blush a tiny bit at that.

"_Put some spices in the water, seaweed especially_." He said.

"Are you trying to kill us? Seaweed isn't edible." I told him in my head, but trusted him and did it anyway.

"_Look, it's edible if you know how to cook it. Got it brat_?"He asked, I sweat dropped and stirred.

"_Now put the meat in_." He said, he didn't sound like his normal aggressive self. "_Stir it in a little, don't do_ _it like that idiot. Cooking is not something to mess around with_."

"Um, Emil? You know what you're doing right?" genis asked rather concerned as I put the carrots in under Ratatosk's unnormally gentle behavior.

"Hm? Oh, Yeagh. I know." He commanded a little bit more seaweed and a pinch of salt.

"_Now, dice those potatoes up and put them in too."_He commanded and I did so.

"Emil, what are you cooking?"Sheena asked.

"It's a surpriiiiise. "I said, just the way ratatosk said it.

"Uuum… Emil…?" I added more meat and stirred at the command.

"Hmmm? Yeagh?" I asked.

"Are you all right? You know seaweed isn't edible to humans' right?" Zelos asked kinda' hesitantly.

"It is if you know how to cook it. " I was almost done.

"_Stir the rice in and cook until it's tender_." He directed.

I stirred the rice in and everybody started sweating.

"Uuum, Emil. I respect you and all, but you're making me nervous."

"Aggh. So that is what you're cooking." Tenebrae said, chuckling.

"This is an actual dish?" Genis asked.

"Yes, and one of lord ratatosk favorites." Tenebrae said.

"Oh, well that's good to know."

"It's done!" I took the pot from the fire and put the food in bowls.

"Zelos tries it first, I think it's poisoned." Sheena said, taking it and staring at it.

"Fine." Zelos picked up a fork and shoved some in his mouth. As soon as he ate the first one, the fork found its way to the bowl and forked another bit in his mouth until he was done.

"Waitress. Could I have seconds?" Zelos yelled like we were in a restaurant.  
>"I'm not a girl, and I don't work in a restaurant." I said, taking his bowl and serving him seconds none-the-less.<p>

"Sure, sure… That doesn't stop you from liking a certain redhead working for the vanguard." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

I gasped in horror, was it really that obvious? Sheena almost choked and Lloyd actually did choke. Presea looked at me as if she were contemplating something and regal looked shocked to the core. Marta was instantly angry after she was done gagging on the thought. Raine and genis were the only people that didn't almost die. Myself included, only I would have died of embarrassment.

"What on earth? Did you see how Marta and Emil are together? Are you blind Zelos?" Sheena punched him in the face.

"No, you are the ones who are blind." Zelos got up and rubbed his face, "What was that for my voluptuous hunnie?"

"And what makes you say this?" Raine asked, stopping Sheena from punching him again.

"Well, he's always sneaking off...With Tenebrae… Not to mention, I saw him in the camberto caves with him." Once he was done explaining, everyone's head snapped to me.

"Emil?" Marta looked murderous.

"He was looking for an angelatops. He was giving it to Colette's grandma." I said in defense, a weak one at that.

"Do you really like him enough to let him kill me?" She said, throwing herself on top of me.

"N-no! I didn't let him kill you before I knew what was going on… And I met him before you." I took another stab at defending myself and gave Marta a really good point, to (hopefully) appease her.

"What?" She tried to pin me but Ratatosk wasn't having any of that.  
>"Marta! God dammit! Why do you think I saved you in palmacosta? Don't get defensive of me because my friend is my friend is my enemy. I know what the hell is going to happen sooner or later. I didn't let him kill you the countless number of times that I could have. So just cut it out!" Ratatosk took control and brought all the points up. And he hit it home with "I'm outta' here. I can't stand being around here if all you're going to do is get all possessive of me. That's why I don't like you… You're too… touchy." And then we ran out of the tent. I didn't realize how far away he had carried us until I faintly saw the city of flanoir in the distance. We stopped clutching a stitch in our side and soaking wet.<p>

A little while later while we were catching our breathe, we heard voices on the road behind us. We ducked into the bushes and he gave control back to me.

I watched as they stopped, "Aqua you're sure you saw him?" An oh-so-familiar voice asked.

"He's hiding in the bushes, Master Richter." I heard the centurion of water answer. Richter turned to be looking directly at me. He walked over and grabbed me by the scruff of my neck.

"Ow!" He picked me up.

"Emil, what are you doing out here?" He asked me.

"R-running from Marta… I th-think she wants t-to k-kill me." I was effectively stuttering now thanks to the cold.

"Come and sit in my tent with me. It'll dry you out." He said setting me on my feet and pulling me along behind him.

"N-no!" I pulled myself from his grip.

"What?" He was shocked, he turned to face me and I pulled my sword.

"Y-your part of the vanguard! You're my enemy. I- if I get too close to you, then I won't be able to fight you later on… I won't let you kill Marta. I've already got close enough to you, If I get any closer I won't be able to protect my friends." I forgot the cold as a fire grew in my stomach. I surprised recognized it as hatred. How come I hate him all of a sudden, it must have been Ratatosk.

"Emil, put your sword down." He pinched the bridge of his nose and took a step towards me.

"As long as you're part of the vanguard, we're enemies. As long as you want to kill Marta for ratatosk's core, were enemies. As long as you're after my friends, we're enemies." I told him, bolder than I had ever been.

"I see.. Then I'll see you another time. Only we'll be friends." He turned and walked away.

"Emil… Master Richter would do anything for you." She softened her expression.

"AQUA!" Richter must have been embarrassed.

"Coming Master Richter." She left without another word.

Once he was out of sight I dropped my sword and fell down. I entered a fetal position and couldn't help the hysterics and hyperventilation that ensued. I blacked out with my eyes open.

**End chapter 1**


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